Reclining chaise longue



1957 E. L. MOORE ET AL 2,776,704

RECLINING CHAISE LONGUE s Shets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1955 INVENTLRSfZQ/QLMOOAEd/Zd BY $455 SM/ T 1957 E. MOORE ET AL 2,776,704

RECLINING CHAISE LONGUE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1955 INVENTORSfifflLMoofiancl BY 050 ZSM/IH, 5

Jan. 8, 1957 E. L. MOORE ET AL RECLINING CHAISE LONGUE Z5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed April 26, 1955 INVENTORS [zen L. Mace: and

United States Patent RECLINING CHAISE LONGUE Ezra L. Moore and Cleo E.Smith, Columbus, Ind., as-

signors to Arvin Industries, Inc., Columbus, Ind., a corporation ofIndiana Application April 26, 1955, Serial No. 503,914

8 Claims. (Cl. 155-117) This invention relates to a reclining chaiselongue and more particularly to a chaise longue adapted to be usedout-of-doors and to be manufactured from metal tubing and sheet-metalparts.

An article embodying the invention is characterized by the incorporationof a main structure providing a seat and leg rest, a back frame, and abrace structure arranged to support the back frame in any of a pluralityof positions of adjustment. The back frame is pivoted to the mainstructure near the rear end thereof. The bracing structure is pivoted tothe main frame in advance of the rear end thereof, and its free end isadapted to rest on the floor or other supporting surface in rear of themain structure. The brace structure carries a pair of pivotally mountedlatch members which cooperate with abutments on the sides of the backframe to hold the back frame in any of its positions of adjustmentagainst a rearwardly directed effort. The back frame and the bracestructure are swingable from their extended positions to collapsedpositions overlying the main structure. The main and brace structuresand the back frame are conveniently made of lightweight metal tubing.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment ofthe invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the chaise longue in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the article in extended position infull lines and in collapsed position in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental side elevation on an enlarged scale showingdifferent positions of adjustment of the back frame;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating an intermediate stage inmovement of the back frame and brace structure to collapsed condition.

The article shown comprises a main frame, preferably formed of a singlelength of metal tubing bent to provide a front transverse portion 10,upwardly extending front legs 11, rearwardly and upwardly inclinedleg-rest portions 12, rearwardly and downwardly inclined seat portions13, and rear legs 14. Desirably, the extreme ends of the tubing are bentto extend inwardly in aligned relation from the lower ends of the legs14 and are united in any suitable manner to form a rear transversemember 15. Adjacent 'the upper ends of the legs 11 the frame is providedwith a stretcher 16; and a second stretcher 17 extends between the seatportions 13 of the main frame. The latter stretcher is desirably archeddownwardly to clear the flexible seat with which the chaise longue isprovided, as will be brought out hereinafter.

The back frame conveniently comprises a single length of metal tubinghaving a transversely extending intermediate portion 20 and parallelsides 21 the ends of which may be bent upwardly and forwardly, asindicated at 22, and pivotally connect-ed to brackets 23 secured to themain frame at the rear of the seat portions 13.

mediate portion 20 of the back frame.

The brace structure likewise may comprise a single length of metaltubing bent to provide a transverse intermediate portion 25 and sides26. In the extended condition of the chaise longue, the sides 26 curveforwardly and upwardly from the intermediate portion 25 until theyextend generally parallel to the seat portions 13 of the main frame toprovide arms, the ends of the sides being bent, as indicated at 27, toextend downwardly for pivotal connection to the seat portions 13 of themain frame through aligned pivot bolts 28.

The brackets 23 are so arranged as to support the back frame with itssides 21 substantially coplanar respectively with the sides of the mainframe. The sides 26 of the brace structure are spaced outwardly from thesides of the main and back frames to provide for the reception of theadjustable latch mechanism by which the back is held in its severalpositions of adjustment. A spacing sleeve 28 may surround each pivotbolt 28 between the main frame and the sides of the brace structure.

In the article shown, a single strip 30 of fabric, woven plastic, orlike flexible material provides the leg rest, seat, and back. One end ofsuch strip is secured to the front stretcher 16, while the other end issecured to the inter- Series of eyelets 31 extend along the sides of thestrip '30, and such stripsides are secured to the sides of the main andback frames by lacings 32 which pass through the eyelets and around theframe-sides.

To hold the back frame in any of its several positions of adjustment, Iemploy a pair of similar latch plates 35 which are pivoted to the arms26 near the front ends thereof by pivot members 35 and which, when thechaise longue is in any extended position, extend rearwardly betweensuch arms and the sides 21 of the back frame. Each of such latch platesis provided (Fig. 5) with -a zigzag slot having transversely extendingportions '36, shown as three in number, interconnected by inclinedportions 37 each of which extends from the lower end of each transverseslot to the upper end of the next transverse portion to the rear. Thelower end of the rearmost transverse portion 36 connects with anelongated oblique portion 38.

A bolt or shouldered rivet 40 projecting outwardly from each side 21 ofthe back frame extends through the slot in the associated latch plate35. The rear wall of the edge of each transverse slot-portion 36 isapproximately normal to a radius drawn from it to the pivot 35' of thelatch plate, so that rearward pressure of the bolt 40 against the rearwall of the slot will not tend to cam the latch plate upwardly. When thechaise longue is in extended condition, the arms 26 occupy the full-lineposition shown in Fig. 3, and the latch plates 35 extend generallyrearwardly from their pivots 35' so that the force of gravity urges themdownwardly to cause the upper surface of the slot in the latch plate toride on the bolt 40. If the bolt 40 occupies the upper end of anytransverse portion 36, the latch plate serves to hold the back in fixedposition against any rearwardly directed effort such as might be appliedto it by an occupant of the device. Except when the bolt 40 is in thefront transverse slot 36, the back can be moved forwardly by theapplication of forwardly directed effort to it, as the upper walls ofthe inclined slot-portions 37 provide cam surfaces which lift the latchplates as the back swings forwardly. To release the latch plates andpermit rearward swinging of the back, the latch plates are manuallylifted to bring the bolts 40 into the lower ends of the transverse slots36; and as long as the latch plates are maintained in lifted position,the back can swing or be swung rearwardly and downwardly until the bolts40 engage the rear ends of the slot-portions 38. The extreme position ofthe back, which is approximately horizontal, is indi- 3 cated in dottedlines in Fig. 3 and in full lines in Fig. 2. To facilitate theapplication of lifting effort to the latch plates 35 each of them may beprovided along its lower edge with an out-turned flange 41.

When the chaise longue is in extended condition it can be collapsed byapplying an upwardly and forwardly directed effort to either the back orthe brace structure. If the effort is applied to the back, the bracestructure remains stationary until the bolts 40 reach the front ends ofthe slots in the latch plates, whereupon the brace structure is causedto swing forwardly about the axis of the bolts 28. During all but thelatter portion of the swinging movement of the back to collapsedposition, the force of gravity, by urging the latch plates 35downwardly, maintains the bolts 40 at the upper ends of the fronttransverse slot-portion 36, with the result that approach of the bracestructure to the back is limited. However, the latch plates have tailportions 42 adapted, as the back approaches its fully collapsed positionshown in Fig. 5 and in chain lines in Fig. 3, to engage the bolts 28 andraise the latch plates to bring the bolt 40 into the lower portions ofthe lower ends of the slot-portions 36. In effect, the bolts 28 apply anupward effort to the rear ends of the latch plates 35, thus holding thelower surfaces of the latch-plate slots in contact with the bolts 40 andpermitting the brace structure to swing forwardly into the chain-lineposition shown in Fig. 3.

If collapsing effort is applied to the brace structure rather than tothe back, the back will also be swung forwardly, as the engagement ofthe bolts 40 in any transverse slot-portion 36 or with the extreme endof the slotportion 38 limits approach of the brace structure toward theback. Joint swinging movement of the arm-structure and back continuesuntil the tail pieces 42 of the latch plate 35 engage the bolts 28, thusreleasing the latch plates as above described and permitting the bracestructure to continue movement into the chain-line position of Fig. 3.

As will be obvious from a comparison of Fig. 5 with the chain-lineshowing of Fig. 3, continued forward swinging of the brace structureafter the back has reached fully collapsed condition will cause thecommon plane of the pins 35' and 40 to approach the pivots 28. If suchplane were to pass through the axis of the pivots 28 before the bracereached fully collapsed position, the back would be positively locked inits fully collapsed position and it would be necessary to raise thebrace structure sufficiently to bring the plane of the pins 35' and 40to the forward side of the pivots 28 before the back could be moved awayfrom the base. Such a condition would be advantageous, as it wouldpermit the fully collapsed structure to be lifted and carried by effortapplied to the transverse back portion. However, this result can beeffectively attained in practice even if the plane referred to does notpass through the axis of pivots 28 when the structure is collapsed.Thus, if the pins 28, 35, and 40 are appropriately disposed (seechain-line showing of Fig. 3), the plane of the pins 35' and 40, whilestill lying forwardly of the pivots 28 in the collapsed condition, willbe so close to such pivots that the lever arm of any force transmittedthrough the plates 35 between the pins 35 and the pins 40 will beextremely short--so short, in fact, that the application to the backportion 20 of an upward effort sufficient to lift the entire structurewill not possess a moment about the pivots 28 sufiicient to swing thebrace structure against the force of gravity. At the same time, whenupward effort is applied to the collapsed brace structure the resultantforce transmitted through the latch plates to the back has a verysubstantial moment about the axis of the back, and the back thereforewill swing upwardly While the effort applied to the brace structureremains well below that which would result in elevation of the mainframe. As a result of this arrangement of the axes of the back and bracestructure and the location of the pins 35 and 40, the preferred form ofchaise longue will always be extended from completely collapsedcondition by applying an upward effort to the brace structure.

We claim as our invention:

1. An article of furniture, comprising a main section including a seat,a back pivotally connected to said main section on a first transverseaxis adjacent the rear edge of the seat, a brace structure pivotallyconnected to the main section on a second transverse axis spacedforwardly from the said first axis, said brace structure having a freeend engageable with a supporting surface in rear of the main section tosupport the structure in extended position and being swingable forwardlyover said main section to a collapsed position, said brace structureincluding arms dispersed at the side of and above the seat when thebrace structure is in extended position, releasable means acting betweenthe brace structure and back for preventing rearward swinging of theback beyond any of a plurality of predetermined extended positionsrelative to the brace structure, said back being swingable forwardlyabout said first axis to a collapsed position over said main section,and release means operative at a predetermined point in the forwardswinging of said brace structure to release said releasable means.

2. An article of furniture, comprising a main section including a seat,a back pivotally connected to said main section on a first transverseaxis adjacent the rear edge of the seat, a brace structure pivotallyconnected to the main section on a second transverse axis spacedforwardly from the said first axis, said brace structure having a freeend engageable with a supporting surface in rear of the main section tosupport the structure in extended position and being swingable forwardlyover said main section to a collapsed position, releasable means actingbetween the brace structure and back for preventing rearward swinging ofthe back beyond any of a plurality of predetermined extended positionsrelative to the brace structure, said back being swingable forwardlyabout said first axis to a collapsed position over said main section,and release means operative at a predetermined point in the forwardswinging of said brace structure to release said releasable means.

3. An article of furniture, comprising a main section including a seat,a back pivotally connected to said main section on a first transverseaxis adjacent the rear edge of the seat, a brace structure pivotallyconnected to the main section on a second transverse axis spacedforwardly from the said first axis, said brace structure having a freeend engageable with a supporting surface in rear of the main section tosupport the structure in extended position and being swingable forwardlyover said main section to a collapsed position, said brace structureincluding arms dispersed at the side of and above the seat when thebrace structure is in extended position, releasable means acting betweenthe brace structure and back for preventing rearward swinging of theback beyond a predetermined extended position relative to the bracestructure, said back being swingable forwardly about said first axis toa collapsed position over said main section, and release means operativeat a predetermined point in the forward swinging of said brace structureto release said releasable means.

4. An article of furniture, comprising a main section including a seat,a back pivotally connected to said main section on a first transverseaxis adjacent the rear edge of the seat, a brace structure pivotallyconnected to the main section on a second transverse axis spacedforwardly from the said first axis, said brace structure having a freeend engageable with a supporting surface in rear of the main section tosupport the structure in extended position and being swingable forwardlyover said main section to a collapsed position, releasable means actingbetween the brace structure and back for preventing rearward swinging ofthe back beyond a predetermined extended position relative to the bracestructure, said back being swingable forwardly about said first axis toa collapsed position over said main section, and release means operativeat a predetermined point in the forward swinging of said brace structureto release said releasable means.

5. An article of furniture, comprising a main section including a seat,a back pivotally connected to said main section on a first transverseaxis adjacent the rear edge of the seat, a brace structure pivotallyconnected to the main section on a second transverse axis spacedforwardly from the said first axis, said brace structure having a freeend engageable with a supporting surface in rear of the main section tosupport the structure in extended position and being swingable forwardlyover said main section to a collapsed position, and releasable meansacting between the brace structure and back for preventing rearwardswinging of the back beyond a predetermined extended position relativeto the brace structure, said back being swingable forwardly about saidfirst axis to a collapsed positi-on over said main section.

6. An article of furniture, comprising a main section including a seat,a back pivotally connected to said main section and swingable between acollapsed, generally horizontal position above said main section and anextended position in which it is adapted to provide support for the backof a person occupying the seat, a pivotally mounted brace structureswingable between a collapsed position and an extended position in whichit rests on a supporting surface in rear of the main section, releasablelatch means acting between the back and brace structure for limitingrearward swinging of the back, and means operative at a predeterminedpoint in forward swinging of the brace structure to release said latchmeans.

7. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 1 with the additionthat said releasable means includes latch plates each pivotallyconnected on a horizontal axis to an arm at a point forwardly of saidback when the latter is in any of its extended positions, abutments onsaid back, said latch plate being provided with elongated slotsrespectively receiving said abutments and having a series of spaced,forwardly presented surfaces engageable selectively with said abutmentsto limit rearward swinging of the back, said latch plates beingswingable upwardly to move said surfaces out of the paths of theabutments, said release means being carried by said main section inposition to engage the latch plates at said predetermined point in itsforward swinging.

8. An article of furniture in accordance with claim 5 with the additionthat said releasable means comprises a slotted link connected to saidback and brace structure at points so spaced from said axes that whenthe back and brace structure are in collapsed condition the plane ofsaid pivots will be so disposed relatively to said second axis that aneffort sutficient to lift the entire article can be applied to thecollapsed back without causing the brace structure to swing upwardlyabout said second axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,696,869 Schlaak Dec. 14, 1954 2,704,115 Freedman et al Mar. 15, 1955FOREIGN PATENTS 317,792 Italy May 23, 1934

